Boat carrier trailer



Aug, 99 H949. E. T. REID 2,478,424

BOAT CARRIER TRAILER Filed June 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l lo. r1 N .IN V EN TOR brnqy.;

. 9, 1949. E. T. REID 2,478,424

BOAT CARRIER TRAILER Filed June l2, 1946 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K s \5 E m R N l ww o non @one a' N fa oo\o\ano oaooloo Q oao\\o\oo ooffseo R .ME

INVENTOR.

ZKM

Patented ug. 9, 1949 UNITED PATENT If`i'lf`flCEl 2,478,424 v BQATCARRIEMRAILELF. Eugene; T. Reid, ay Minette, Ala. Appiicationmie 12,1946, serai Nq; 616,256; zoiaims. (cian-139.1)v M The present invention relates to improvements` in boat-carrier trailers, and has for an object'to provide an improved trailer to be pulled by an automobile, tractor or thel like and so constructed and arranged as to receive and support therein a boat or skiff whereby the latter may be conveniently transported from place to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved trailer having built into the construe? tion thereof hoisting mechanism byV which the boat may be raised intov its appointed space within the trailer by the action of a single person, and whereby the boat may be lowered to the ground at its destination in the same facile and* convenient manner. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved trailer so constructed and arranged as to hoist and receive the boat, transport it and subsequently lower and release the boat at desti-v nation without involving the necessity of removing any equipmentv in or upon the boat, such'as outboard motors which, however, for safety purr poses, could be simply detached and placed inside the boat where it willv receive the protection of the hull of the boat. l

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved trailer which will be of a strongv and rigid construction resistant to warping or defol'f` mation and at the same time being yof an open work construction particularlyat the baseA thereof in order that the trailer may be blacked over the boat while the latterrests upon the ground, allowing an entire open space and freeway for' the boat to move vertically upward into theA confines of the skeleton framework whichconstitutes the trailer frame.

A still further object of the invention is to profy vide an improved trailer having installed thereon a hoist mechanism equipped with steel cable and reduction gear to produce adequate power for the raising and handling ofthe boat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a trailer frame of such construction and weights as to constitute a safe construction to the end that persons involved in the transportation may ride in the boat while it is being wheeled along in the trailer and with entire safety.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and Will be more periielafly Pointed 911i in the claims appended hereto. f o

In the drawings, wherein` llike vsyrnbols refer t0 like or corresponding parts throughout the several Views,

Figure 1v isa 'side elevational view of anim-V proved trailer constructed in accordance with the present inventioh'and showing a boat suspended therein u..

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same taken from'the righthand end of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isM an elevation of a detail of the arched axley andf wheel support with parts brokenv away and parts shown's'ction.

Figure 4t is a top flan view of the improved trailer with the boat removed.' y

Figure 5 is' ahorfzontaifsection taken on the line 5-5 inFigure'l;

'Figule 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on an enlargedfscaleQthrough the rear portion of the upper frame showing the adjustablel hoisting mechanism'inv Operative' position;

Figurej'l isY a siniilfar'view showing the opera-v tive position of the same and"y of'v the suspension mechanism connected lto a`b4 1at, and

Figure 8 i's a fragmentary side elevation, taken on an enlarged scale, of' the'front portion of the upper frameand theboat showing the hoisting and suspending mechanisrfnsconnected thereto.

Referringv more particularly to the drawings, the trailer is c"or`n`po'sdI 'g' "n'eifally, "oi two" skeleton frames', namely a` lower and anu'pp'er4 frame with suitable uprights to 'connect the' two lframes to-H gether andwith anuarched axle support at the central portion ofthe trailer which may be confV nected to both frainea Y l 'l 4 The lower frame is comprised of the two spaced substantially parallel side rails IIl and I`I which are unconnected at theirrear ends or at any inf termediate point but haveV their front portions bowed together. as indicated at Illa and IIa, the bowed ends meeting inthe junction point I2.

The upper frame is composed of spaced and parallel side rails I3 andl having forward bowed portions I3a and Ida meetingat the front junction end I5. The'side' rails I3 and I4' of the upper frame are also connected together at their rear ends-by a rear cross 'rail I6.

The upper frame is preferably shorter than the lower frama'thebowof the'upperframe being set back appreciably from the'bow Illa; IIa of the lower framel The two frames are connected together by the upright lateral ribs I1 and IB and' by"tlie'bow`rib owaarmede@enligne mais cans I5 of thetwofrans'bow'rib IS'b'eing on an inlmatiofl as. see'trodvanage in Figure 1 on ac.- count' of the offsetting or the' new portions of the two frames' as above'rrferred'to. At' their rear ends the two frames are connected by the rear corner uprights 20.

The arched axle support is composed, as i1- lustrated more particularly in Figure 3, of the vertical legs 2| and the cross axle 22. Where the frames and arched axle are made of tubular metal, the cross axle 22 may be reinforced by a bar 23 if desired. At the lower ends of the vertical legs 2| are outturned trunnions 24 on which the ground wheels 25 are mounted.

Between the rear end portion of the side rails I3 and I4 of the upper frame are a number of cross bars 26, in Figure 4 shown to -be four in number, and having series of perforations 21 at both end portions to selectively receive therethrough the bolts 28 on the bases 29 of the two pulleys 30. These pulleys receive thertwo steel cables 3| which converge forwardly from the pulleys 30 to idler pulleys 32 located more closeli7 together upon the cross axle 22. From the idlers 32 the two steel cables 3| converge forward to one section 33 of a double windlass drum having the partition 34 for separating such sections. The drum is journaled for rotation upon the supports 35 which may be of the triangular shape shown in Figure 1 and these supports have feet 55 connecting them with the bowed front ends |3a and I4a of the upper frame. In fact the bowed portions |3a, |451, together with the junction I in combination with the cross structure involving the supports 35, feet 55 and the drum structure, all unite to produce an extremely strong truss at the forward portion of the upper frame serving to reinforce both the upper frame and the drum supporting structure which receives the weight of the boat in the hoisting operation. It will be noted also that certain of the upright lateral ribs I1 and I8 are in substantial alignment with the feet 55 so that any stresses or strains may be translated from the drumto the feet to the upper frame and thence through the forward upright lateral ribs I1 to the bowed portion Illa, IIa of the lower frame. In this way the load is distributed to both frames.

The drum may be rotated by a handle 31 on a balance wheel 36 carried by the reduction gear shaft 56. The reduction gear is indicated at 38 and is of any well known form. A forward steel cable 39 is wound upon the other section of the drum on the other side of the partition 34 and it runs forwardly over a pulley 4D which is carried by a thwart 4| mounted transversely of the bowed portions |3a, |4a of the upper frame.

Snap hooks 42 are carried by the rear ends of the two steel cables 4| and are adapted to snap into eyes 44 screwed or otherwise secured in the stern end ofthe boat 46. The free end of the forward cable 39 also carries a snap hook 43 adapted to detachably engage an eye 45 secured in the bow end of the boat 46.

In the rear end of the upper frame are chains 41 having dependent snap hooks 48 also adapted to engage the eyes 44 at the stern of the boat. These chains may be welded or otherwise secured at their upper ends to the rear cross rail I3 of the upper frame, as shown in Figure 2.

At the front end is a similar chain 48 welded or otherwise -secured to the bow rib I9 and supporting a snap hook 50 adapted to engage the bow eye 45 of the boat.

The trailer when in a standing position may be supported erect by the two pivoted supporting legs 5| at the rear under portions of the trailer and by the single pivoted leg 53 at the bow or front portion. The rear supporting legs 5I are shown as being pivoted to the lower frame at the points 52; while the front leg 53 is pivoted at 54 to one of the bow portions IIa of the lower frame.

It will be noted that the rear cables 3| emerge from the under side of the drum while the forward cable 39 comes off the upper side of such drum. In other words these cables are reverselY wound on the drum so that rotation of the drum in one direction will simultaneously wind both cables and rotation in the opposite direction will slacken or pay out such cables 3| and 39. A chain 51 is welded to one of the bow members |4a of the upper frame and carries a snap hook 58 for engaging the handle 31 to prevent the drum from rotating as in the elevated position of the boat shown in Figure 1.

The trailer may be hitched to an automobile V by any convenient form of hitch arrangement,

preferably by a universal joint connection.

In the use of the device, the trailer may be backed over the boat, the snap hook ends of the cables 3| and 39 drawn down and engaged with the eyes 44 and 45 of the boat 46 as at rest upon the ground directly beneath the space it is shown to occupy in Figure 1. The cables 3| and 39 are then wound upon the drum by the rotation of the drum by the hand wheel 31, the reduction gear 38 reducing the manual effort to accomplish this work. There being no cross bars between the side rails Ill and of the lower frame the boat may be hoisted without interference into the space provided therefor within these skeleton frames, as shown in Figure 1. Afterthe boat is hoisted a snap hook 58 is engaged with handle 31 to prevent the unwinding of the cables and thus to retain the boat elevated in the trailer. In order to take some of this strain oil" the cables the other snap hooks -48 and 50 are connected with the eyes 44 and 45 of the boat whereby the frame itself takes up part of this load during the transit of the boat from place to place in thel trailer.

On arriving at destination the snap hooks 48 and 59 are disconnected, the handle 31 is released and backed slowly in the lowering order of rotation. When the boat 48 has reached the ground the cable snap hooks 42 and -43 are removed and the trailer may be moved forwardly away from its positionV over the boat, leaving the boat free to be launched.

If desired, the handle 31 may have a ratchet attachment for holding the handle in any desired angular position.

The size of the boat trailer is such that it will accommodate any size boat, adjustability in this respect being had by the use of the perforated cross bars 25 in combination with the pulleys 30. By removing the bolts 28 the pulleys 3|! may be moved forwards or rearwards or together or apart to accommodate shorter or longer boats or wider or narrower boats. The spaces between the perforated :bars 25 allow lfor the vertical free ends of the steel cables 3| to descend to engage the boat. The kick-stands or supporting legs 5I and 53 assure a level position of the trailer at all times even when not in use. The kick-stands may be held elevated by any suitable form of detents.

If desirable hooks may be placed at intervals along the lower part of the trailer frame to accommodate the eyelets in a tarpaulin or other covering if such is desired.

It will be understood that the improved trailer provides a top` frameadequately strengthened and reinforced thereby completely eliminating the need for cross bars or braces on the bottom of the frame with the exception of those which -connect the two frames together. This arrangement leaves the inside of the trailer free to receive the boat in its entire length, thereby enabling the trailer to be backed over the boat whether the boat rests upon the ground or is in the water. By lowering the trailer into the water the boat may be received at perhaps its top possible level which will render the raising of the boat much simpler.

It is obvious that various yChanges and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A boat-carrier trailer comprising a framework having an internal space to receive a boat and a base opening through which the boat is received fand discharged, boat hoisting mechanism carried by said framework including a windlass and spaced perforated bars, pulleys, bases for the pulleys adapted to rest on said bars, fastening members for the bases adapted to selectively ypass through said perforati-ons of the bars, and cables passing over said pulleys one end of which is fastened to said windlass and the other end having means to engage the boat.

2. A boat carrier trailer comprising a lower frame having a base opening through which a boat may be lifted and lowered, an upper frame comprising spaced substantially parallel longitudinal rails bowed at their front portions and meeting together at an apex, supporting means between said lower and upper frames, said lower frame also comprising spaced substantially parallel longitudinal rails bowed at their front portions and meeting together at an apex, both of said upper and lower `frames being continuous from their apeXes to their bases, both of said apeXes and bases being joined by said supporting means, and means to secure the rear end portions of said rails together, the forward portion of said upper frame including said supporting means forming a support for receiving a windlass which together with said support forms a truss for strengthening said upper frame members about their forward portion.

EUGENE T. REID.

REFERENCES C {TED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 821,954 McCormick s May 29, 1906 1,531,180 Erickson Mar. 24, 1925 2,260,676 Lafaye Oct. 28, 1941 2,375,754 Ballinger May 15, 1945 2,388,870 Sackett Nov. 13, A1945 2,415,771 Agtmael Feb. 11, 1947 

